I am not making this one up!

Every now and then, a tiny piece of the Parental Mythology is actually true. Noah was complaining of a tummy ache this morning (no big surprise given all that he ate yesterday when we had Frédéric's cousins over - and let me digress to add that now that spring is finally here, visiting season has begun, and with it, the season of 7+ hour lunches!). Benjamin wanted to find something he could do to make Noah feel better. ("But not too close so he doesn't get his germs on me.")

He offered to read to him, but Noah didn't want him to. He just wanted him to come sit with him. Once I convinced Benjamin that stomachaches due to overeating aren't contagious, he happily complied.

I guess they know me well... when I told them how nice they were being, and got up from the couch, they said, "Are you going to take a picture?" Ha. Of course I am! And the tummyache didn't prevent Noah from hamming it up for the camera.

We are THRILLED to see springtime finally starting to show its face around here. About time! We're still making fires some mornings to get the chill off, but the cars have been washed, the grass has been mowed, the seeds are planted on the patio, awaiting slightly warmer weather to be moved outside, we've started weeding the time-sucking retaining wall, and we've started taking kids and dog on walks & bike rides around the village.

And apparently spring is also the time of... hot air balloons! The kids called us from the living room when they spotted this one out the window tonight.